Fraser Island

Perched on the sunny Queensland coast 161 miles northeast of Brisbane, Fraser Island is the world's largest sand island and home to one of 2002's world's best beaches. But this World Heritage Site has more to offer than just sun and sand. It's an ecologist's dream, with 640 square miles of unspoiled natural paradise. Rain forests with 1,000-year-old trees sprout from the sand, Australia's second-largest collection of freshwater lakes dot the island and whales frolic in the sheltered waters just off the coast. The island is also teeming with life - 230 species of birds and 25 species of mammals, including wallabies, possums, flying foxes and Eastern Australia's purest breed of dingo, roam the island. Of course, for those more interested in sunbathing than exploring the ecosystem, there is a 75-mile stretch of beach that runs along the island's east coast. Above and beyond the abundance of soft sand, there are a host of water sports as well, from snorkeling to sailing, kayaking, fishing and more.

For nature-loving beach enthusiasts, there may be no better place in the world than Fraser Island. And remote and undeveloped as it is, it still manages to offer lodgings to suit almost any traveler - from the backpacking eco-tourist to the resort-seeker.